The Merry Devils

Westfield's Men are preparing to put on a play entitled The Merry Devils at the Queen's Head in London.  On the opening day, the two little devils play their part perfectly, but are suddenly and unexpectedly joined by a third devil onstage!  The devil performs a bit and as suddenly as it had appeared, it disappears.  Fortunately the cast is able to save the rest of the play.

Nick Bracewell, the company's book holder, is determined to figure out how the third devil appeared on the scene.  Meantime Firethorn, the leading actor, works to maintain the mystique of the play.  Unfortunately the group's patron forces them to put the play on again.  Can they manage it?

The next play the group puts on at another theatre is called "Cupid's Folly", a rollicking comedy.  Unfortunately one of the actors is injured when the May pole collapses.  Bracewell is sure it has been sawn through with the intent to cause injury.  Westfield's Men have an enemy for sure.

Ralph Willoughby, one of the co-authors of the Merry Devils, is sure that he is responsible for the devil's appearance. As Bracewell prepares for the next performance of the Merry Devios he is surprised when a devil appears through one of the stage's trapdoors.  Before he can do anything, it appears through the other trapdoor, or is it a second devil?  Once again misfortune strikes the cast when one of the players dies before his entrance.

Bracewell is wrongly imprisoned one night.  While in prison he has time to think why, and to think on who the target of the attacks is.  He also accidentally gains some useful information while there.  The truth that Bracewell discovers is shocking to everyone involved.

Author Edward Marston has written another Elizabethan murder mystery full of guile and intrigue.  He presents lots of suspense as the story draws to a conclusion.  A very good read.